Sir Alex Ferguson Helps HBS Analyze Management Techniques

Since retiring from the hot-seat of one of the world’s most successful football (soccer) clubs, Sir Alex Ferguson has found a new career as a guest lecturer at Harvard Business School (HBS). He has also contributed to a new analysis of the management methods that gave him great success over 26 seasons at Manchester United.

According to the study’s author, HBS faculty member Anita Elberse, Sir Alex Ferguson and her discussed eight leadership lessons that capture crucial elements of his approach in order to shed light on the success and staying power Ferguson achieved in the notoriously cut-throat world of football management.

“There is no active coach in the highest echelons of the world of soccer—or, to my knowledge, in sports as a whole—who comes even close to such a lengthy tenure”, said Anita Elberse on HBS’ website.

One point from these interviews is highlighted by a Forbes feature on the overlap between leadership and advertising. In the battle to win players’ respect and make them listen to your message, Ferguson attaches great importance to the extra level of hard work he needed to reach the top, having not enjoyed an illustrious playing career himself.

A brief glance at England’s Premier League reveals this to be a growing trend – none of the current managers at Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur or Chelsea are especially renowned for their own playing career and this too has not stopped them from leading the biggest clubs. 

Harvard Business School analysis follows successful case study by Anita Elberse

The new study of Sir Alex Ferguson’s management techniques follows on from a Harvard Business School case study conducted by Anita Elberse in 2012. Elberse became a full professor with tenure at the age of 38, making her one of the youngest female professors to achieve this distinction at Harvard Business School.

In putting both the case study and this new analysis together, Elberse was granted access to Ferguson during his last season in charge at Manchester United, taking in his work on the training ground and speaking with both players and club staff.

Ferguson later visited Harvard Business School to witness the case study being taught and to interact with students. He has also given lectures at the school to further provide his insight into what he holds to be the secrets of management.

“There's a telling quote in the case in that regard: 'You can't ever lose control—not when you are dealing with 30 top professionals who are all millionaires. And if anyone steps out of my control, that's them dead’ ”, Anita Elberse said.  

Indeed, this is a topic that is dealt with at length when discussing famous players in his new autobiography, which has just been published and is due for release tomorrow, October 24.